Such trucks have become known e.g. from U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,144, U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,306 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,313. On one end the body of the truck has a load carrying means, e.g. a load carrying fork. The truck body includes a lift drive for the load carrying fork and driving means for the truck. The steering of the truck takes place through a steering arm which is linked to the upper side of the truck body. With the free end the steering arm carries a head wherein various control elements for individual functions of the truck are arranged. At the front side the truck body is provided with a platform which can be used for the driver in order to ride with the truck. In this position the driver seizes a hand rail which is conversely U-shaped and mounted on the top of the truck body. The hand rail has two spaced approximately parallel vertical legs, and a hand rod or grab bar connected to the upper end of the vertical legs.
For the known walkie/rider trucks it has also become known to mount a control panel to the grab bar. From U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,306 it has become known to accommodate a plurality of control elements within a housing for such panel, preferably control elements for the lifting and lowering of the fork for the actuation of the horn and for the switching into a fast speed mode. The control elements or buttons are arranged in a control field which faces forwardly, i.e. towards the driver on the platform. From the prior art mentioned, it has further become known to arrange a further control element on the rear side of the control panel or housing e.g. for the actuation of the coast mode. In some uses the driver or operator prefers to let the truck freely roll further with small speed if he is still at a remote position. By this, the truck can be sent to a position where an operation is desired. Due to his experience, the operator can estimate how far the truck rolls on if he actuates this function at a predetermined speed.
The object of the invention is to provide a hand rail for a walkie/rider truck wherein the control panel is designed such or placed, respectively, that the operator can seize the grab bar of the hand rail at different positions also adjacent the control panel in order to actuate the control elements.